Ratchet-operated electric switch.



Ila. (ii-"8,26% Patentod July 9, l90l'."

. W KINGSLAND R ATBHET OPERATED ELECTRIC SWITCH.

(Application am Jan. 16, 190;.)

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFI E.

WILLIAM KINGSLAND, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

RATCH ET -OPERATED ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,260, dated. July 9, 1901. Application filed January 16, 1901- Serial No. 43,445- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, WILLIAM KINGSLAND, electrical engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 8 Breams Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the city of London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Apparatus for Ratchet-Operated Electrical Switches Having Step-by-Step Motions, (for which I have made application for patent in Great Britain under No. 11,727 and date June 28, 1900,) of which the following is a specification.

In many instances it is required to communicate to a switch a regular and uniform step-by-step motion in a circular path and in either required direction by means of an operating-lever which is capable of having a definite and limited amount of motion, the lever afterward being returned by a spring or weight to its normal position, ready for the next action. The angular motion of this lever is to be communicated in such a manner to the switch that the movable part of the latter shall at each operation of the lever receive a step-by-step equal and regular motion in one direction, or if the operating-lever receives motion in a reverse direction then the movable switch member shall receive an absolutely regular motion in the same direction as the said lever.

Now my present invention refers to the novel combination and arrangement of mechanism, as hereinafter described and claimed, by which the above-required operations are produced, my invention enabling the said switches to be operated with accuracy and certainty by mechanism of simple character and under conditions which would otherwise be inapplicable-such, for instance, as a tappet action or blow on the operating arm or 1ever-the mechanism being calculated to well withstand the impact by which it would thus be operated and to produce the required movements with regularity.

My invention will be' understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, where- OD. V

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, andFig. 2 a transverse section showing the device. Fig. 3 is a perspective .view' of a pawl-ring hereinafter'described and which forms part of the mechanism.

' Mounted in bearings in a suitable framework A, I provide a spindle B, capable of rotation or partial rotation by means of the operating arm or lever O, which is fixed to the said spindle, the said lever 0 being normally held in a vertical position by a, counter weighted arm 0' or equivalent means, the angular travel of the arm or lever 0 being limited by fixed stops D D. The lever G is operated by any desired means.

Mounted loosely upon the spindleB or upon a separate spindle the axis of which coincides with the lever -spindle I provide a wheel formed around its periphery with two sets of ratchet-teeth E E inclined in opposite directions, each set of teeth being in a separate parallel plane, and it is to this double ratchettoothed wheel, hereinafter termed the intermittent wheel, that the movable member of the electric switch is connected either directly or by means of gearing, the ofiice of such movable switch member being to make, break, or change the electric circuit of the switch.

A convenient form of switch for the purpose of alternately making and breaking an electric circuit is of cylindrical type, having a suitable number of conducting-plates upon its cylindrical surface divided by insulatingspaces and coacting with conducting-brushes which bear frictionally upon the cylindrical surfaces of the switch, and this type of switch, operated by a tappet action, I have before dealt with in the specification of my United States Patent No. 592,056. In the drawings, F indicates such a switch-cylinder, having conducting-plates upon its surface, and F conducting-brushes, there being one such brush F in this case upon each side of the drum F, and it is to these brushes or to the supports thereof that terminals of the conducting-wires are connected.

The switch-cylinder is fixed to the ratchettoothed wheel E E and turns therewith. In order to operate the ratchet wheel, I employ a double pawl J which may be conveniently ingfrom the inner circumference of the pawl ring, the said detents being arranged within the ring in difierent vertical planes, so that one detent is capable of coacting with one set of ratchet-teeth and the other detent is capable of coacting with the other set of ratchetteeth when the ring J encircling and surrounding the ratchet-wheel, is suitably operated. The ring-pawl J 2 encircles the ratchetwheel, as aforesaid, and is itself supported and freelysuspended from a stud H, projecting or carried from or carried by a crank or disk G, which is fixed upon the main spindle B.

The operation of the device is as follows: The lever O is rocked from its vertical position. The spindle B being thus partly revolved, the crank-disk G is similarly rocked and the stud H moved to one side or the other of the axis of the intermittent wheel,according to the direction of motion given to the operating-lever. The ring-pawl J is thus brought laterally against the intermittent wheel. Engagement then occurs between the detent upon one side of the ring and the corresponding teeth of the intermittent wheel, and the intermittent wheel is then carried around by the ring-pawl through the remaining angular movement of the operating-lever G. The angular motion of the operating-lever 0 should be a little greater than the circular distance between one tooth and another on the intermittent wheel, so that on the lever 0 returning to its normal position-say a vertical positiontl1e ring-pawl may be again so located as to engage with the next tooth of the intermittent wheel in either direction when the lever 0 is again operated. It is desirable that the intermittent wheel or the attached switch mechanism should have a certain amount of frictional resistance to rotation otherwise than that which belongs to its turning motion on the spindle in order that when the arm and spindle are moved back to their normal position the intermittent wheel may not also be moved back. This frictional resistance can generally be sufficiently secured by the pressure of the switch contact brushes or pieces. It will now be well understood that the operating-lever C may be moved, say, from a normal vertical central position in either direction desired through a fixed angular distance regulated by stops, and when moved in one direction the pawl engages the tooth of one set of ratchet-teeth of the intermittent wheel and operates the switch-cylinder F through exactly the predetermined distance of motion. The operating-lever C is then returned automatically to its normal position and may be again operated in the same direction and give a further and equal intermittent motion or may be operated in the reverse direction and the switch cylinder F thereby be given an equal reverse motion, all as required.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to .secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In electrical switches having step-bystep motions, the combination with a spindle, an operating-lever fixed on the spindle, an intermittent wheel loose on the spindle, two sets of ratchet-teeth formed on the periphery of the said wheel, the sets of teeth sloping in opposite directions and being in separate parallel planes, and an electrical switch, the movable rotary member of which is carried by theintermittent wheel; ofaringsuspended from a crank-pin upon the spindle and encircling the intermittent wheel,oppositely-engaging detents projecting in different planes from the inner circumference of the ring, so calculated that one detent can operate upon one set of teeth, and the other detent upon the other set of teeth of the intermittent wheel, to partly rotate same and the switch therewith,according to the direction in which the spindle is rocked, substantially as set forth.

2. In electrical switches having step-bystep motions, the combination with a spindle, an operating-lever fixed to the spindle, a balance-weight to normally maintain the lever in a vertical position, stationary framework and hearings to carry the spindle, and stops mounted on the framework to limit the an gular motion of the operating-lever in either direction, an intermittent wheel loose on the spindle, two sets of ratchet-teeth formed on the wheel, sloping in opposite directions, and being in separate parallel planes, and an electrical switch the movable member of which is carried by the intermittent wheel; of a crank fixed on the spindle, and a crankpin extending from the crank, a ring freely suspended from the crank-pin and encircling the intermittent wheel, two oppositely engaging detents in the interior of the ring adapted to engage one or other of the sets of teeth, and to thereby rotate the intermittent wheel according to that direction in which the operating-lever and spindle are rocked, whereby the movable member of the switch is moved through the required angular distance relatively to the stationary member of the switch, substantially as set forth.

3. In electrical switches having step-bystep motions, the combination with a cylindrical switch-drum, a suitable number of conducting-plates upon its cylindrical surface, and insulating-spaces dividing the said plates, electric conducting-brushes carried by the framework and bearing frictionally upon the surface of the switch-cylinder, a spindle carried in hearings in the framework upon which spindle the switch-cylinder is loosely mounted, an intermittent wheel fixed to the switchcylinder, and two sets of ratchet-teeth on the periphery of the said wheel, sloping in opposite directions, and located in separate parallel planes; of an operating-lever fixed to the spindle by which the spindle is rocked in either direction required, a crank-disk also fixed on the spindle, a crank-pin carried by the said disk, and a ring suspended from the crank-pin and encircling the intermittent wheel, and oppositely-engaging detents projecting in diiferent planes from the inner cirquired angular distance substantially as set forth.

Witnesses:

GEORGE THOMAS WILLIAM KINGSLAND.

IsAAo BRIDGES, WILLIAM ROGERS. 

